Debunking Misinformation: The Gulf of Mexico, Canada, and the Panama Canal

by Andy Lee

A viral image claims the United States has the right to rename the Gulf of Mexico, gives Canada $150 billion annually, and can reclaim the Panama Canal under a treaty. However, these claims are false and distort historical and economic facts. Here’s a detailed breakdown with citations.

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Claim 1: “The Gulf of Mexico was lost to the US in the war of 1848, and we can rename it anything we want!”

The Facts:

1. The Gulf of Mexico was never part of the land ceded to the United States after the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).
2. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) granted the US ownership of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of other western states—but not the Gulf of Mexico【1】.
3. The Gulf of Mexico is an internationally recognized body of water, bordered by Mexico, the US, and Cuba. The US cannot rename it unilaterally, as names of international waters are governed by historical precedent and global agreements【2】.

✅ Verdict: False. The Gulf of Mexico was never a war prize, and the US cannot rename it.

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Claim 2: “The US gives Canada $150 billion a year. They can either become a state, secure the border, or stop using us as an ATM.”

The Facts:

1. The US does NOT give Canada $150 billion in foreign aid.
2. The actual financial relationship between the US and Canada is based on trade, not aid. In 2022 alone, trade between the two countries totaled over $1 trillion【3】.
3. Canada is the United States’ largest trading partner, meaning money flows both ways as part of commerce, not as a free handout【4】.
4. The United States does provide foreign aid, but Canada is not a recipient because it is a developed nation【5】.
5. Canada and the US jointly manage border security through agreements like NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command)【6】.

✅ Verdict: False. The US does not give Canada free money; they are major trade partners.

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Claim 3: “The US built the Panama Canal and has the right to take it back if another country is given preferential treatment.”

The Facts:

1. The US built the Panama Canal (1904-1914) and controlled it for decades under the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903)【7】.
2. However, the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties (Panama Canal Treaty of 1977) between President Jimmy Carter and Panama’s leader Omar Torrijos gradually transferred control of the canal to Panama, which officially took over on December 31, 1999【8】.
3. While the US retains the right to defend the canal’s neutrality, there is no clause allowing the US to reclaim the canal unless Panama violates the neutrality agreement【9】.
4. The canal is now managed by the Panama Canal Authority, and Panama has the right to conduct business with any country of its choosing【10】.

✅ Verdict: False. The US does not have the legal right to “take back” the Panama Canal under existing treaties.

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Final Thoughts

This viral post misrepresents history, trade, and international treaties.

• The Gulf of Mexico was never a war prize, and the US cannot rename it unilaterally.
• Canada does not receive $150 billion in US aid—instead, the two countries have a mutual trade relationship worth over $1 trillion annually.
• The US does not have the right to reclaim the Panama Canal, though it retains the ability to defend its neutrality.

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By spreading accurate information, we can help counter misinformation and ensure history is understood correctly. Always fact-check before believing or sharing viral claims.

Citations with Direct Links:

【1】 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/american_originals/guadalupe.html
【2】 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UN Documents: https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf
【3】 US Foreign Assistance Database, USAID: https://www.foreignassistance.gov/
【4】 US Trade Representative, US-Canada Trade Statistics: https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/americas/canada
【5】 US Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Data: https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c1220.html
【6】 NORAD Joint Security Operations: https://www.norad.mil/
【7】 Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903), US State Department: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/pan001.asp
【8】 Torrijos-Carter Treaties (Panama Canal Treaty of 1977), U.S. Department of State Archives: https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/wha/rlnks/11936.htm
【9】 Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty (is part of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977), U.S. Department of State Archives: https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/wha/rlnks/11936.htm
【10】 Panama Canal Authority, Official Website: https://www.pancanal.com/

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